I’m sure we’ve all been there. It’s a Saturday evening and your client emails you out of the blue. Instant anxiety. Work-mode activated. Relaxing weekend ruined.
This can feel like part and parcel of having your own business, right? But it doesn’t have to be this way. By setting clear boundaries in your business, you can take back your power.
Boundaries are so important to protect our mental health, maintain positive client relationships, and help us be more productive to grow our businesses. When our limits are exceeded, our productivity, creativity, work quality, and mindset can all suffer. Welcome, burnout.
Though, boundaries won’t stop clients from emailing you at silly-o-clock on a weekend. They will ensure it won’t be an issue if they do.
Here’s how you can start setting boundaries in your business today:
Set your schedule
The beauty of having your own business is being able to work flexibly. No longer stuck to the 9-5 office grind, you can work at any hour of the day. Sure, lie-ins and late nights might sound appealing. But even for us night owls, working unnatural hours can take a toll and reduce your productivity. Getting into a routine that works for you is important. Once you know what works, set your schedule and stick to it. Your body-clock will thank you!
Know your limits.
Knowing your capacity, and being realistic about when to say ‘No’ is an important skill to have as an entrepreneur. It can be tempting to take on every projects possible and get excited about being ‘booked out’, but we all have limits and it’s important to know your own.
Figure out how many projects and clients you can work with per week/month, and make a plan on what to do when you’re at capacity. This could be creating a waitlist for your service, hiring a team member or outsourcing to a freelancer (we recommend this!), or referring your client to another expert you trust. Doing this allows you to have more control over your workflow, and reduces the chance of burnout.
This is the same for contact hours and communication. Work out when and how you would prefer to be contacted, and set ‘rules’ for your clients to stick to. Don’t like taking calls on Mondays? Block out your scheduler. Don’t want to feel pressure to reply instantly? Set an automated reply. It’s all about making your business work for you!
Communicate your ‘rules’
Once you have defined your boundaries and ‘rules’, you need to communicate them clearly with your clients. This should be done at the first point of contact (i.e. when your client first enquires with you on your website or social media), during the onboarding process, and throughout your working partnership.
Here are some quick ways you can do this:
- State your office hours and response times on your website and email signature.
- Set automatic replies that include your response time. For example: “Hey! Thanks for getting in touch. I aim to respond to all messages within 1-2 business days. Please check your inbox for my reply soon!” Something short and snappy, that clearly sets their expectations for a reply is all you need!
- Turn on your ‘Out of Office’ and state when you will be back.
- Include your contact ‘rules’ in your onboarding process. (I like to include mine in my onboarding questionnaire and welcome pack.)
- Discuss ‘rules’ in your client introduction meeting. Make sure your client is aware of your boundaries, and ask them if they have any of their own too!
Limit contact methods
Your clients shouldn’t have 24/7 access to you. Though it can be tempting to share a variety of contact methods with your clients, you don’t need to share your email, voxer, social media, mobile number, and scheduler all at once. Stick to one main contact method (I recommend email), and only share that with your clients. Oh, and if your client asks for your mobile number. Run. ?
Mute Notifications
As we all work remotely in different timezones, emails can fly around at all times of the day. If you’re having a day off, going on vacation, or just want to switch off for an evening, muting your notifications is a blessing. You deserve to switch off and an email alert can interrupt your much deserved ‘you time’ and pull you into work mode in seconds. We don’t want that!
Don’t be too responsive
Being responsive is a top quality to have as a business owner. But replying immediately and turning over tasks at lightning speed can set unrealistic expectations that will be hard to maintain as your business grows. To prevent this, set a response window and minimum turnaround that you can maintain. For example, at NorthRose Studio we respond to all communications within 1-2 business days, and for our membership/retainer clients, we set a minimum task turnaround of 3-5 business days. This really helps to take the pressure off and keep our workload manageable!
Be open and honest
Boundaries can change. If the boundaries you originally set are no longer working for you, you should communicate with the client and let them know that the ‘rules’ are changing, and your reasons why. They’ll appreciate your honesty, and you won’t have to feel pressure trying to meet unachievable standards.
Keep up your personal life
It can be too easy to see ourselves as our business, and feel like we have to be ‘on’ 24/7. But even us solopreneurs need regular breaks and days off. Hustle culture has made is feel like if we’re not working every hour god sends, we’re failing (we all have the same 24 hours, right Molly Mae? *eyeroll*). But that simply isn’t the case. Keeping up with our personal interests and hobbies, spending time with friends and family, and doing things outside of our business is so important for our mental well-being!
And finally, stick to your boundaries!
Once you’ve set your boundaries, the most important part is sticking to them! Remember why you set them, and stand your ground. As the business, we set the precedent for our clients. If we have bad working habits, and don’t stick to our own boundaries, how can we expect them to? It’s not always easy but the benefits of setting your boundaries far outweigh the initial guilt you might feel enforcing them!
Do you have any business tips of your own?
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a comment below, and share
